Wire-bound crate



Feb. 14, 1956 J. 5. MCFEE 2,734,652

WIRE-BOUND CRATE Filed April 8. 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent Oflice 2,734,652 Patented Feb. 14, T956 WIRE-BOUND CRATE John S. McFee, Roselle, Ill.',assignor toGeneral Box. Company, Chicago, Ill.,.a corporation of Delaware Application April 8,1952, SerialNo. 281,160 2 Claims. (Cl. 217-12) The present invention relates to shipping containers, and more particularly to wirebound' boxes for shipping various types of articles, but which are especially adapted for use in the shipment of single units of' merchandise, such for example as electric motors, transformers, washing machines and other similar articles.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a wire-bound box that iseconomical and simple in construction yet easily and readily applied to an article to be shipped.

Still another object of the present invention is to'provide a wire-bound box in which the wall sections are formed of corrugated fibre board panelsreinforced" on the" outside by cleats and slats to form, when in assembled condition, a completely closed, dust-proof container for articles to be shipped and which is adapted to withstand hard usage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wirebound box with reinforced panelled wall sections which can be easily and readily closed and which for any given size has fewer wires than the conventional type wirebound shipping container, thus making it easier to assemble and disassemble, yet at the same time being equal to or stronger than such containers.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a wire-bound box having corrugated fibre board panels reinforced on the outside with cleats and slats to provide hand holds for moving the box and its contents by hand and to facilitate handling by lift trucks and at the same time providing a smooth uninterrupted inner surface to facilitate assembly and disassembly.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a wire-bound box of the type immediately hereinabove described in which the cleats and slats forming the reinforcing for the wall sections furnish means whereby the box and its contents can be raised by lift trucks, the same having interengaging notches whereby the strain imposed by such lift trucks is transferred to the entire box.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wirebound box of the type hereinbefore described in which the slats and cleats forming the reinforcing for the wall sections are secured in part to the corrugated fibre board panels by adhesive material, the pressure to secure adequate adhesion between the same being supplied by the clinching operation during stapling.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wire-bound box of the type hereinabove described in which each of the corrugated fibre board panels is provided with a flap adapted to overlap the next adjacent panel so that when the box is assembled the flaps provide a completely closed, dust-proof package.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a wire-bound box made in accordance withv the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken in the plane represented by lines 2--2 of Figure 1 of the drawings,-

' represented by lines 55' of Figure 4- of the drawings;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view' taken in the plane represented by the lines 66 of'Figure 1 of the drawings;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the fibre-board panel for one of the wall sections;

Figure 8 is a view in' perspective of the horizontal reinforcing cleats for one of the wall sections;

Figure 9 is a view in perspective of one of the vertical reinforcing slats for the wall sections; and;

Figure 10 is a view in cross-section similar to Figure 3 but disclosing a modified form of construction for; the reinforcing cleats.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the wire-bound box more particularly shown in Figures 1 and 2, and generally referred to by the reference numeral 1 comprises the side wall sections 2, 4, 6 and 8, the Walls 2 and 6 being oppositely disposed in parallel relation, and the walls- 4' and 8 being oppositely disposed in parallel relation. Each of the wall sections is of similar construction, comprising a panel 10, of corrugated fibre-board in which the corrugations are preferably disposed in a vertical direction, the said panel 10 being reinforced by verti'cal slats 12 and 14, and interengaging cleats 16 and 18 disposed adjacent the bottom and top of the box, respectively, and an intermediate cleat 20.

As more particularly shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the side wall sections 2, 4, 6 and. 8; are assembled in' the form of a mat in which longitudinally extending'strands of wire 22, 24 and 26 are stapled to the upper aligned cleats 18, the'aligned intermediate cleats 20, and the aligned bottom cleats 16, respectively, by means of a plurality of staples 28 applied by a stitching machine in accordance with well known procedure. In the illustrative embodiments herein disclosed each of these strands 'of wire are formed with loops 30 and 32 at the ends of the mat whereby, when the mat is assembled to form the box, these loops are interengaged to hold the box in its assembled relation, although it is to be understood that the ends of the strands of wire may be twisted or any other device may be used to close the package.

The present invention is particularly directed to a wirebound type shipping container which may be easily and readily manufactured, and for the same size has substantially the same or greater strength than the conventional type wire-bound crate, but which is formed with panels of corrugated fibre-board to produce a completely closed, dust-proof package. In order to provide the desired strength, the horizontal cleats and vertical slats are secured to the corrugated fibre-board panels 10 by any suitable adhesive material. The necessary pressure to secure adaquate adhesion of the adhesive between the reinforcing cleats and the fibre-board is secured during the stitching operation when the staples 28' are applied and clinched on the inner face of the fibre-board. During the stitching operation staples 34' are also applied to the vertical slats 12 and 14 and the pressure applied during this operation assures a proper bond between the slats and the fibre-board. By following the method set forth above the wire-bound mat may be quickly and easily fabricated at low cost to provide side wall sections of adequate. strength and which results in a rigid and rugged box structure when assembled, able to with stand all of the stresses and strain to which abox ofthis type is subjected in use.

By further reference to the drawings it will be noted that each side wall section is formed with slats 12 and 14, slat 12 being somewhat wider than the slat 14, and this arrangement prevails for each of the sections from one end of the mat to the other. As more particularly shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, the side-wall 8 has a slat 14 adjacent the loops 3%), whereas the opposite slat for said side-wall is one of the narrower slats 12. Sidewall 6 is similarly constructed with a slat 12 adjacent slat 14 of panel 8, and with a slat 14 adjacent the other edge. This arrangement of the slats 12 and 14 is similar for panels 4 and 2. Although the specific illustration of the invention embodies slats of different width, it will be appreciated that the box may be formed with slats of the same width, if desired.

Each of the slats for the assembly, more particularly shown in Figure 9 consists of an elongated wood element having the end notches 36 and 38, and an intermediate notch 40. Figure 8 of the drawings discloses the manner in which the horizontal cleats which cornprise elongated wood members are provided with the end notches 42 and 44.

When the box is assembled, the end notches of the cleats and slats interengage to provide a rigid corner construction for the box. Furthermore, the intermediate notch 40 of each of the vertical slats is interengaged by a notched end of the intermediate cleats 20 to further reinforce the box intermediate the top and bottom.

By reference to Figures 4 and it will be noted that the cleats are so arranged with respect to the slats 12 and 14 that the same terminate in spaced relation inwardly of the outer edge of the wider slat 14, as at 46, and project beyond the outer edge of the narrower slat 14, as at 48. This is true for each of the side-wall sections so that when the mat is assembled to provide the finished box, the projecting portion 48 of the cleats of one side-wall section are received within the notched area of the vertical slats adjacent the abutments 46 of the next adjacent side-wall section. corner of the box shown in Figure l of the drawings. This notched construction further reinforces the box throughout and provides a structure such that the box can be readily raised by lift trucks at the intermediate cleats and transported from place to place.

The box is further provided with a top 50 comprising a corrugated fibre-board panel 52 reinforced by a plurality of spaced and parallelly arranged top battens 54 and a plurality of spaced and parallelly arranged bottom slats 56, the same being secured together by means of nails or the like. In the illustrative assembly of the invention, the bottom is of open construction comprising the spaced and parallelly arranged battens 57 with the spaced and parallelly arranged slats 58 secured thereto, the said bottom being constructed in this instance to enclose a washing machine, but the bottom construction may take any form necessary to provide a proper support for the material or article to be enclosed within the box.

In order to provide a closed and dust-proof package, each of the panels of the side-wall sections is formed as disclosed in Figure 7 of the drawings to provide flaps 6t and 62 at one of the vertical marginal edges. The fibre-board panels 10 and the reinforcing cleats and slats are assembled as clearly shown in Figure 5. Thus one marginal edge of the panels is in substantial alignment with the end 46 of the cleats, whereas the other marginal edge having the flaps 60 and 62 extend beyond the other end 48 of the cleats and overlap the edge of the panel of the next adjacent side-wall section. It will be seen that when the box is assembled, the flaps of each panel extend around the corner and over the adjacent marginal edge of the next successive panel in the manner disclosed in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings to provide joints which prevent entrance of dirt, dust or other material into the interior of the box.

This structure is clearly disclosed at the front From the above it will be clearly apparent that the wirebound box made in accordance with the present disclosure is formed with corrugated fibre-board panels having outside reinforcing elements so that a smooth uninterrupted surface is provided on the interior of the box and which outside reinforcement provides means whereby the box may be easily handled either by hand or by lift trucks for transportation from place to place. The application of adhesive material secured in adhesive relation to the parts designated hereinabove by application of pressure during the stitching operation further provides a structure which is rigid and able to withstand stresses and strains equal to or greater than conventional type wirebound crates of equal size, yet the present box in many instances can be fabricated and assembled at much less cost. It will be further observed that the mat is easily closed and, as a matter of fact, for a box of equal size and strength as compared to a conventional wire-bound crate, fewer Wires are used, which results in easier assembling and disassembling than the conventional type. As a further advantage, the corrugated fibreboard panels have ample area to permit attractive advertising to be placed on the outside faces thereof.

Figure 10 discloses a slightly modified form of construction which may be used if desired, the same conforming in substance to the previously described illustration of the invention except that the horizontal cleats may be mitred, as at 64 and are disposed in abutting relation, this type of construction having somewhat better closing characteristics than the butt-end cleat assembly shown in the first described embodiment of the invention.

While I have herein described and upon the drawings shown illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wire-bound shipping container, the combination of a plurality of side wall sections, each of said sections having a panel of fibrous material, reinforcing structure for the marginal edges of said panel including a pair of vertical slats and horizontal cleats disposed on the outer face of said panel, the inner surface of the end portions of said slats being notched, the outer surface of the end portions of said cleats being notched and in interlocking relationship with said end portions of said slats, said end portions of said cleats terminating inwardly of the outer edge of one slat and projecting beyond the outer edge of the other slat in each of said wall sections so that when said container is assembled the projecting end portions of said cleats interengage the notches in the adjacent slats to provide a rigid corner construction, and a longitudinally extending strand of wire secured to the top and bottom of the reinforcing structure of each of said wall sections for securing the same in assembled relation.

2. In the wire-bound shipping container of claim 1 further characterized in that said panels of fibrous material each have a flap member which overlaps the marginal edge of the adjacent panel so that when the container is assembled it is completely closed and dust-proof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,280,718 Greenstreet Oct. 8, 1918 1,385,813 Caylor July 26, 1921 1,704,118 Babcock Mar. 5, 1929 1,940,285 Babcock Dec. 19, 1933 1,973,932 Sharp et al Sept. 18, 1934 1,990,788 Kells Feb. 12, 1935 2,042,323 Ott May 26, 1936 2,217,210 Bigelow et al Oct. 8, 1940 2,329,170 Boese Sept. 7, 1943 2,332,652 MacKenzie Oct. 26, 1943 

